Days passed since you received the contract from the WWE. It struck you like lightning when you found it in your P.O. box, but you were happy to see that they were offering you such a big chance. Your contract with your current promotion just expired, so you're free to go wherever you want. Your friends supported you for years and, although that they're sad to see you go, they keep you in their hearts and minds, no matter what.
The morning sun strikes your face and forces you to wake up from your deep sleep. You don't like bright lights that much, because they annoy you. Funny enugh is that you're very often in front of a camera to either take part in a photoshoot or an interview, knowing everyone will be seeing it one way or another. You rub your tired eyes and sit up to look at your alarm clock.
Y/N:" 7:30 a.m. No normal person would ever decide to rip me out of my dreamland. gosh, today is a big day."
You're staying in a hotel near the headquarters of the WWE. someone notified you that you should be in the building by 10. That's why you're up early already. Excitement and happyness shoots through your veins as you get up and walk into your bathroom. To say you weren't impressed would be a lie, because everything in the whole apartement is so different from your last home. It looks more prestigious, more comfortable and just fresher. you just have to dres a bit more formal and appropriate for the occasion since there will be a lot of higher people. Management, trainers, couts and the McMahon family of course will all be present. You know how the whole thing goes since this isn't your first big jump. Impact and NJPW have introduced you in major ways before, so your nervousness is unneccessary. The titles you won are an edge in your legacy to be remembered. And your path will continue on.
After showering and styling yourself, you walk to your wardrobe and pick out your clothes. boxers, socks, a suit and a matching tie. you already feel weird by looking at this formal clothing, but it's only for this one time...you hope. as you get dressed, your head is running in circles as you think about what NXT may have in store for you. The Undisputed Era, The Velveteen Dream, Johnny Gargano, The Forgotten Sons, Matt Riddle. There are so many potential opponents for you that several storylines come to mind in a matter of seconds. Tere is always NXT UK to keep an eye on since it inhabits some of the best technical wrestlers all from the united kingdom and around. It would be awesome to have a match against any of them, no matter how it ends. But the way up to it is a long hard climb up a mountain that gets bigger and bigger every week. Then again, you're confident in your abilities and that's what counts. You're not in it for titles, awards, trophies or stuff like that. You wanna wrestle, you wanna entertain, you wanna show the world that nothing is as it seems. Aside from your In-Ring persona, you enjoy the simple things in life. Going for a walk, reading a good book, painting pictures, cooking. You're no man of miracles. You're just above average by todays standards. When you're done getting dressed, you just eat a small breakfest, knowing that time is passing fast. You also have to familiarize yourself with the way around the buildings and getting to know other people.
Y/N:" I wonder how my friends are? Knowing some of them already moved up to the mainroster, I can only imagine how hard it was for them to get there...gosh, I didn't see some of them in years."
You smile to yourself, seeing their shocked faces in front of you when they find out you're the newest superstar to join NXT. It looks so stupid for you, but you certainly deserve to be there, even if others doubt that. You don't really give a damn about critics and match ratings. Stars and praises don't really matter unless they come from people you know. Your promos aren't pre-written. No, you come up with everything just a moment before you are allowed to speak. It's almost surreal how much freedom you have gotten so far. Even your graphics were done by your own hands. Anyway, after finishing breakfest you grab your keys and lock the door after walking out, making your way down to the lobby. A small group has gathered outside already, cameras and microphones out, ready to throw themselves at you. You always chuckle when you see the paparazzi. when you open the door, the buzz is already getting louder and louder, startling you. as Y/N L/N, you have gathered a big fanbase already and it's only going to grow whie you're in the biggest wrestling company on the planet. But before anyone can ask a question, you spot a young man with a sign in hand that has your name on it. You look at your wrist watch and remember that william Regal himself would send someone to get you to the Titan Tower. Shoving and pressing your way through the crowd, you get to the man and straighten your outfit.
Driver:" Are you alright, Mr. L/N?"
Y/N:" I am, but these vultures just pick the meat of your bones until there's not a single fiber left. Don't get me wrong, I love this job. It's just annoying to get clouded by them every day."
Driver:" I am not one to judge, sir. I am here to drive you towards your destination for today."
Y/N:" Alright, thanks for that. I'll make sure to mention you to everyone. What's your name?"
Joseph:" Joseph O'Connor."
You smile and nod to yourself while the both of you walk to the limousine that's waiting just a few steps away. It's clean and in a well enough condition to be used by a royal family. Your eyes gaze upon every aspect of the vehicle while you get closer. It's not easy for you to get lost in something, but exotic things are just so hypnotizing for you. A moment later, you sit in the back of the car, seat belt strapped on and just your phone in hand. Your social media was blowing up since the WWE made it a big secret as to who would be the newest signing. It's funny to see people speculating about it, but even funnier when their expectations aren't met. You're not a dick to anyone, it's just amusing to see. And you always make it up to them by either taking pictures with them or giving them autographs.
--- Timeskip ---
Luckily you are at the tower earlier than expected, with about ten minutes to spare. the sheer size of the building is a different sight than any other skyscraper or something remotely close to it. It startles you the first time you see it, but after a while it hopefully will fade. Seconds after, you make your way to the entrance door and walk in. The interior of the lobby alone is enough to make you jealous, but that's to be expected from a multi-million dollar company. The WWE has been on its way for several decades and it continues to grow. Yes, they had better times before and the reviews aren't always as good as they expect, but that's something to worry about for later. Right now you stand in front of the receptionist: a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes who gives a short smile at you.
Y/N:" My name is Y/N L/N. I was asked to arrive here by Mr. Levesque."
Receptionist:" Ah, I see. Take the elevator to the 12th floor and knock on the fifth door on the left. He should be in his office already."
Y/N:" Thank you very much. Have a pleasent day."
You two say goodbye to each other as you make your way over to the elevator. Unfortunately you still have to wait for it to come down, so there goes about two more minutes of your time. You're getting slightly nervous again, knowing that Paul Levesque is the legendary Triple H. Someone you do not want to upset with anything you do. He may have a temper from time to time, showing everyone why he's the boss around NXT. It would be fatal, if anyone would mess with him on their first day. Your train of thought is interrupted though when the doors of the elevator open and a group of people rush past you. You are trying to process this until you feel a hand on your shoulder. Turning around, you come face to face with the man you're supposed to meet: Paul Levesque. He seems a bit tired himself, but still fresh enough for business.
Paul:" Mr Y/N L/N, I'm happy that you made it here on time. Not everyone is as punctual as you are."
Y/N:" Mr Levesque, it's an honor to meet you. I've been excited for this day ever since I was sent the contract."
Paul:" I'm sure you are. Now, we should get to my office and make things official. The whole world is anxious about getting to know who we just signed."
You shake his hand and nod as the two of you board the elevator. The slightly smaller man presses the button for the right floor and begins to start smalltalk with you. The things you talk about are just simple stuff: rules around the WWE, the history of NXT, some of your future co-workers. It's fun to have a relaxed conversation with someone who usually shows no mercy to his opponents. He even mentions some people who have recommended you to the talent scouts, so they could get a good look at what you've been doing over the years. They have studied your character and your moveset and...it fits with the entirety of NXT and the main roster. Your anxiousness is slowly drifting away when the doors to the twelth floor open. You spot a long corridor and several doors as you are led along by Paul who is still smiling at you. When you arrive at his office, you are greeted by the whoe McMahon/Helmsley family. They all clap for a moment and then shake your hand, one after another. Vince motions for you to take a seat and you do.
Vince:" Mr L/N, it has come to my attention that my son-in-law and my daughter decided to offer you a developemental contract. i have asked them to summerize your whole carreer to give me a brief overview of who you are and what you can do. Now all of us know who you worked for and I have to say: I'm impressed."
Stephanie:" You see: my father is someone who likes a certain type of candidates for him to employ. According to everything we have seen from you, you meet all our criteria. From physique to promos to in-ring capabilaty."
Paul:" Right. And knowing that NXT is the hottest thing the WWE has to offer, we couldn't wait to send you a contract. The fans already support you, some of your friends already work here and you would be a great addition to our roster. It's now up to you to sign the contract and begin your work as a WWE superstar."
You are beyond excited as you look at the papers in front of you. Your mind gives back a few informations to you since you already read the contract before you came here. The conditions they ask you to meet are acceptable as the pen you're holding is close to putting the ink on. In a heartbeat you sign the contract, making everything official.
Vince:" Perfect. Y/N L/N...Welcome to the WWE."
You get up and shake everyone's hand once agin, promising to deliver great things. Your fire is burning inside and you can't wait to see the people you'll be working with. Of course the training in the Performance Center is gonna be different from the things you've been doing so far, but you're accepting that change. Then, Paul and you go to the elevator again, get down and walk out of the building. Before you could turn and walk away, he grabs your shoulder and tells you something.
Paul:" Y/N, you know that the struggle to be on top of the world can be quite hard...But I want you to know that everyone, whether it's someone from the Performance center, NXT, NXT UK, Raw or Smackdown, will help you with everything you carry. The things your wikipedia page say are..."
Y/N:" I'm sorry to interrupt you, but...I'm not comfortable to talk about that yet. There have been more downs than ups in my personal life, so I'd like to keep it to myself. This is a burden only I can carry....thank you for your concern, Paul, but there are things better left forgotten."
Paul:" Alright...What do you say about we go to the Performance Center and introduce you to everyone there? I think a big group of people are there who wanna meet you."
Y/N:" Well, they're my co-workers now, so I better leave a good first impression. Let's go."
That is enough for Paul to hear as he leads you to another car with one of his personal drivers. you just say a quick Hello and then get in the back of the car. The smalltalk from earlier ignites again as you make your way towards the building of destiny. It's not everyday that someone gets to meet a bunch of pro wrestlers and get away unscathed.
--- Timeskip ---
Half an hour later you find yourself at the doorstep of the Performance Center. It's looking good from the outside already and more excitement enters your system as you hold the door open for anyone who wants to exit or enter. Of course this is seen as strange at the first few seconds, but Paul just shrugs it off and walks in with you following close after. You hear some voices and a lot of thuds from different directions while Paul tells you a few things about the creation of the center itself. Explaining the idea behind it, the expansion of the programm and how well it's received in the community itself. When you walk through another door, you and Paul enter the main hall of the center where there are several rings with many different people in them, all supervised by a certain man. That man is Matt Bloom, many know him as A-Train or Prince Albert, some even remember his last gimmick as Lord Tensai. Paul gathers Matt's attention quickly and soon the people in the hall gather around the three of you. Most of them are confused while others show curiousity and the last few percent actually seem to know who you are.
Matt:" Ladies and gentlemen, as you see, Paul has gathered all of us here to introduce the newest signing to the WWE. May I intriduce...Y/L L/N!"
You shyly wave at everyone, giving them all a nervous smile as a round of applause hits you. The group of male and female superstars show that they're happy to have you there with them. It feels weird being the fresh meat for everyone, but that will soon break in the longer you work with everyone. It is then up to you to introduce yourself and tell them a bit about your past as a professional wrestler.
Y/N:" Hello there, ladies and gentlemen. As you heard Mr Bloom say, I'm Y/N L/N. I'm 26 years old, born in (city name) and I started wrestling when I was seventeen."
One member of the Undisputed Era, Bobby Fish, is the first one to ask a question. You seem to be surprised to see him be the first to speak at all, since there's such a big selection of people.
Bobby:" First: welcome to the WWE, young blood. Now I know this sin't the question you expect, but: why is it that everyone I know around the wrestling world is afraid of your character?"
Y/N:" There are several reasons as to why that could be. May it be because he shows no mercy in any match? May it be because of the strange things he does in his promos? Or may it be because you can't see the world from his perspective?"
Bobby nods and gives someone else an opportunity to question you. It's Jaxson Ryker who takes the lead now as he steps forward a bit and sizes you up.
Jaxson:" How come that you made it this far? I can see the Impact stuff, but New Japan? What was the big deal?"
Y/N:" The idea behind the NJPW deal was that I was a counterpart to the happy and funny side of life. I was the one to show the viewers how painful and unfair the real world can be and my character is the solution to their sick problems. They may not believe in me, but they know that they should fear me."
Then Kassius Ohno steps forward and looks to grimace at the image of you, standing there in your fine suit. He seems to think that you're arrogant, but then he breaks into laughter as you two hug for a moment. Kassius is one of your friends. You met him a few years back in Ring Of Honor and kept contact since then.
Kassius:" I can't believe you've made it this far already, N/N. It feels like yesterday when I saw you step into your first wrestling ring."
Y/N:" Hey, I wasn't that helpless back then. I just didn't know how to execute some moves."
Kassius:" I know, but hey. We're here again, reunited. How's everything going for you so far?"
Y/N:" Could be better, really. I'll tell you when I've got enough time on hand."
He just smiles and walks back to his original spot as a female catches your attention. She looks to be a bit nervous after seeing everyone act so professional towards you. It cracks your heart to see such a young lady in that state. Then, her brown eyes meet your E/C ones.
Y/N:" What is your name, Miss?"
Taynara:" Taynara Melo de Carvalho, but my wrestling name is Taynara Conti."
Y/N:" A pleasure to meet you. May I ask you why you're so nervous?"
Taynara:" Oh, sorry. I'm not used to meeting new people so unexpectedly. It's no problem though. I was just surprised."
Y/N:" You don't have to be nervous because of me. I'm just a normal human like any other of us. My character may be disturbing to you, but he doesn't reflect who I really am...He just represents the...problems in my life."
you then suddenly have to chuckle shortly as you see another one of your friends. Bald, tanned skin and tattoos on his arms. Yes, it's Ricochet. He walks over the moment he spots your face and engulfs you in a hug, much like Kassius did before. It certainly has been a long time since you spent time with him, but when you heard the news that he was going to the WWE, you were one of the first people to congratulate him.
Ricochet:" Y/N, you're finally here. Damn, this feels just like old times."
Y/N:" Are you calling me old, Trevor?"
Ricochet:" Maybe I am, but hey. This just means NXT has gathered a new top star. Do you have some time to spare? I really wanna catch up with you and introduce you to some people, if that's alright with you."
You then look over to Paul who's invested in a chat with Matt and their partner William Regal. They seem to be discussing business at the moment, so yes, you got some free time. You then follow Ricochet. The small group of people who stand by a crate all look over at you two as he stops in front of them.
Ricochet:" Everyone, this here my friend Y/N. I know you heard what he said just aminute ago, but I wanted to introduce all of you one after another."
The first one who speaks up is Drew McIntyre. He looks at the group and then just shrugs, stepping up to you and offering his hand for a shake. You, the gentleman you are, accept it.
Drew:" My name is Drew. You probably saw me in the indies as well. I have to say: what you deliver surely makes some of my moves pale in comparison. i bet the two of us would put on a great match."
Y/N:" I'd love to wrestle with you some day, Drew. We seem evenly matched so far."
The scottish psychopath smiles and gets back to where he was as another man steps up. More tattoos than Ricochet, long brown hair with the sides shaved. You recognize him immediately as Aleister Black.
Y/N:" Aleister Black, aka Tomy End. I heard a lot about you, seeing how you quickly rose to the top of NXT and capturing the NXT Championship from Tomasso Ciampa."
Aleister:" You're well informed. Nice to meet you, Y/N. Ricochet has shown us one of your sparing sessions. You're not kidding in the ring, right?"
Y/N:" Why would I? This is a serious sport with heart and soul and I will put mine on the line if it means to beat my enemies."
Aleister:" You're a warrior at heart then? I like to meet people who have such deep love and respect towards wrestling. I hope your way leads up to the main roster soon. Until then, I'll make everyone fade to black."
Y/N:" Classic Metallica song and yes, I hope so as well."
Ricochet:" Now Y/N, I'd like you to meet the woman who captured my heart. You may know her from watching American Ninja Warrior."
In a matter of seconds, there stands a slim, young woman with brown hair and dark eyes. She smiles at you and shakes your hand in excitement.
Kacy:" Hi, I'm Kacy Catanzaro. Ricochet wasn't kidding when he said an awesome wrestler would join us soon. Apart from Kushida, you were the biggest signing this year."
Y/N:" Oh, you flatterer. I'm not such a big deal. I mean I won a few championships and won a tournament, but that's nothing compared to the people around us."
Your chat goes on and on while somewhere over the other way of the hall, there stands Taynara breating in and out when she suddenly is joined by two other women. Candice LeRae and Alicia Fox join her side as they all take a look around. Taynara is a bit tense from the meeting with you and the others notice that.
Candice:" Hey Tay, is everything okay?"
Taynara:" Huh? O-oh, yeah. Why?"
Alicia:" Well, you seem a little...not okay."
Candice:" You've been staring at the same wall for the last few minutes. What has got you wrapped up?"
Taynara:" It's nothing, really. I was just overwhelmed when I heard Paul needed us to gather to meet the new superstar."
Alicia:" A new superstar? When was that announced?"
Taynara:" I didn't know either until a few minutes ago. Paul and Matt talked for a second and then we had to assemble around them when they introduced the new guy."
Candice:" Who is the new guy?"
Taynara then only points your way as you laugh a bit and shove your hair out of your face. Your E/C eyes gaze over the three in a flash and then you turn back to Ricochet and your new friends while Taynara, Candice and Alicia digest the moment.
Taynara:" That guy is called Y/N L/N. He just signed the contract and is about to join NXT. I don't understand why I was so nervous the moemnt I was about to ask him a question."
Alicia:" Well, I can't say I'm suprised. He's new and his size is intimidating. But...seeing him talk and joke with the others over there is probably a better sign to see. I'm looking forward to see what he has to offer."
Candice:" I think Johnny has talked about him one or two times. They don't know each other that well, but they have respect for each other."
Taynara:" Maybe I should ask Kassius or Ricochet or someone else he's friends with. I just need to know a few things to be comfortable around him."
Alicia:" We're not gonna interfere in your business, girl. I just hpe you get the information you need. Have a nice day."
So Alicia makes her way towards one of the rings and gets in for her workout while Candice gives Taynara a few tips about how to approach her plan. The young brazilian woman has never been in this kind of situation, but she knows she has to learn about the new superstar. For others, it looks like teenage romance novels or anything close to it.